Jan. 23: Senate transcript

94th General Assembly, Senate, Transcripts

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Senate

Jan. 23, 2023

 

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Lt Gov Rutledge: Meeting will now be called to order. Are there any requests for leave at this time? Senator Hill, you’re recognized.

 

Sen Hill: Request leave for Representative Eubanks to be on the floor.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thanks, Senator. Okay. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

 

Madam Secretary: Boyd, Bryant, Caldwell, Chesterfield, Clark, Crowell, Davis, Dees, Dismang, Dotson, English, Flippo, Flowers, Gilmore, Hammer, Hester, Hickey, Hill, Irvin, Blake Johnson, Mark Johnson, King, Leding, Love, McKee, Murdock, Payton, Penzo, Petty, Rice, Stone, Stubblefield, Sullivan, Tucker, Wallace.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thank you, Madam Secretary. If everyone in the chamber and the galleries would please rise for a prayer led by Senator Dees followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Sen Dees: Thank you, members. It’s a joy that this is the first time that I get to speak to you in the well officially. And what an honor that we get to go seek the Lord together at that same time. So let’s do that. Let’s pray today. Thank you, Lord. Thank You for who You are, for what You’ve done for us, continue to do for us, for your Son that you sent to us. God, I ask that you give us courage to be men and women of courage and that we seek your wisdom in the big things and the little things, in all things, that we seek You first. And we know your Scripture tells us in James 1:5 that you will give us your wisdom generously if we’ll just seek You and acknowledge You. So we ask that that be ever present on our heart as we serve the people that You’ve entrusted us to serve, that we’d be mindful of what You’ve done for us as well. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thank you, and, ladies and gentlemen in the galleries, welcome to the Arkansas State Senate. It is our expectation that each of you will exercise proper decorum and govern yourselves accordingly during today’s proceedings. Without objection, the rules will be suspended and the Senate will dispense of the reading of the journal. The morning hour has now begun. Are there any announcements or introductions at this time?

 

Sen Hammer: Madam Chair.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Senator Hammer.

 

Sen Hammer: Madam Chair, I’d like to ask for a point of personal privilege, please.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Granted.

 

Sen Hammer: Thank you. Members, I’d like to ask for this point of personal privilege on behalf of a family of a Benton fireman. Over the weekend, Benton was– unfortunately, they have lost one of their up-and-rising star firemen. His name is Tristan Red, better known to his friends as Twister. He was 21 years old. On the day that he died was his two-year anniversary of being with the Benton Fire Department. It was a non-work-related accident, but yet it’s a death nonetheless. Tristan and his family attended the church that I pastor, and so I would just like to ask if the members would agree for a moment of silence to remember the family and their loss and also remember the Benton Fire Department if you would, because it has been a pretty crushing blow to the members of the Benton Fire Department. With that, Madam Chair, I’d like to ask for a moment of silence, please.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Granted.

 

Sen Hammer: Thank you, members. Thank you, Madam Chair.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thanks, Senator. Our hearts certainly go out to Twister’s family. Madam Secretary, are there items at the desk?

 

Madam Secretary: Yes, ma’am. We your Committee on Engrossed Bills, to whom was referred Senate Bill 74 by Senator Boyd compared the engrossed copy to the original and find the same correctly engrossed.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Public Health.

 

Madam Secretary: Senate Bill 81 by Senator Sullivan, to amend the law concerning obscene materials, to create the offense of furnishing a harmful item to a minor, and to amend the law concerning at the same materials loaned by libraries. Senate Bill 81.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Judiciary.

 

Madam Secretary: Senate Bill 82 by Senator Sullivan, to modify the definition of ophthalmic dispensing to include the dispensing of contact lenses. Senate Bill 82.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Public Health.

 

Madam Secretary: Senate Bill 83 by Joint Budget. An act of the Department of Agriculture appropriation for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Senate Bill 83.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Joint Budget.

 

Madam Secretary: Senate Bill 84 by Joint Budget. An act of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism Capitol Zoning District Commission appropriation for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Senate Bill 84.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Joint Budget.

 

Madam Secretary: Senate Bill 85 by Joint Budget. An act of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism State Parks and Tourism Division appropriation for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Senate Bill 85.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Joint Budget. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Is there any further business to come before the body in the morning hour? If not, the morning hour has expired. We will now start the business agenda. Madam Secretary, please read Senate Bill 43.

 

Madam Secretary: Amendment One to Senate Bill 43.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Senator Stubblefield, you are recognized.

 

Amendment to SB 43, drag regulation bill

Sen Stubblefield: Thank you, Madam Chair. This amendment simply adds co-sponsors to Senate Bill 43.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Are there any questions? Anyone wishing to speak against? Anyone wishing to speak for? Seeing none, all those in favor of the amendment will please signify by saying aye.  Any opposed? The ayes have it. The amendment has been adopted. We will send to engrossing. Senator Hill, do you wish to be recognized?

 

HCR 1002 Resolution on Ridge Alkonis

Madam Secretary: House Concurrent Resolution 1002 by Representative Eubanks and Senator Hill. To encourage the United States Congress and National Security Council to review the Status of Forces Agreement between the United States and Japan and to review the investigation and trial of Navy Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thank you, Madam Secretary. Senator Hill, you are recognized.

 

Sen Hill: Thank you, Governor. We’ve got the House resolution here. HCR 1002. And I want it to be noted that Representative Eubanks is back here in the back as well. And the Alkonis family is watching this stream. They’re from California, and they’re watching this stream. So I want to make sure I’m not going to read the entire bill, but I just want to kind of give everyone a little bit of history on what’s going on here. This young man, Lieutenant Alkonis, is imprisoned in Japan right now. He was a best friend, in college at the Naval Academy, of Representative Eubanks’ son. He’s been to Arkansas. He’s seen the Razorback football games and been all over the area where Representative Eubanks is from. And this is hard at me because I have a son who’s stationed in Japan right now in the Navy, and so does Representative Eubanks, has a son in the Marines, stationed in Japan. So looking at this, Lieutenant Alkonis was on Mount Fuji. He came down from Mount Fuji with his family. Wife and three kids. He blacked out. Passed out on the way down. Mountain sickness, altitude, whatever you want to call it. And he blacked out, ran off the road, hit and killed two Japanese citizens.

 

Sen Hill: Well, whenever they did the testing and everything for him, there was no alcohol found in his system and no drugs. So his diagnosis was altitude sickness from that. He was sentenced to three years in prison in Japan for something he could not control. His family, between them and the insurance company, paid $1.6 million to the family in Japan, because in Japan it’s customary, if an accident happens, you pay the family restitutions. The family took the restitution, then turned around and pressed charges on him. And so this resolution basically is saying, “We want to get to the president of the United States. We want them to do something about this, take care of our own. If we can free a basketball player in Russia, why not one of our military men that’s stationed in Japan?” So this resolution will be going to the United States; our congressional district– congressional officers have signed off on this. And we’re wanting to get it to the president to do something to free this young man so he can go back to serving this country. With that, I’d appreciate a good vote.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thanks, Senator. Are there any questions for the Senator? Seeing none, anyone want to speak against? Anyone wish to speak for? Those in favor of the resolution, please signify by saying aye. Any opposed? Resolution is adopted and we will return it to the House. Madam Secretary, you are recognized for HCR 1005.

 

HCR 1005 Religious Freedom Day

Madam Secretary: House Concurrent Resolution 1005 by Representative Bentley and Senator Stubblefield to proclaim Religious Freedom Day.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Senator Stubblefield, you are recognized.

 

Sen Stubblefield: Thank you, Madam Chair. This is a simple resolution that simply recognizes a Religious Freedom Day. The reason, the very reason, our country became a country was because of the people who came here so they could worship freely. And that’s basically what this resolution does. But I’d like to have a good vote.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thank you, Senator. Are there any questions for Senator Stubblefield? Seeing none, anyone wish to speak in opposition to the resolution? Anyone for? All those in favor of the resolution, please signify by saying aye.  Any opposed? Resolution is adopted and returned to the House. Is there any further business or any announcements at this time? Okay. Seeing none, we stand adjourned–Oh. I apologize. Senator, you are recognized.

 

Sen Penzo: Just a reminder, Rules Committee will be meeting upon adjournment.

 

Madam Secretary: Where is it?

 

Sen Penzo: 309.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Thank you. Any other announcements? Senator Dismang.

 

Sen Dismang: Joint Budget will meet tomorrow morning at 9:00.

 

Lt Gov Rutledge: Any other announcements? Seeing no further announcements, the Senate stands in adjournment and will convene tomorrow, January 24th, 2023 at 1:00 PM, subject to the clearing of the desk.